Reducing Energy Rates For Your Business Requires Multiple Strategies

Energy rates in some parts of the country have soared, and places that need to use a lot of energy, such as businesses that can't simply turn off the lights, can see some stressful utility bills. Reducing business energy rates is necessary and very possible. But you need to use several strategies; don't rely on only one.

Get as Efficient as You Can With Power Use

This first strategy is one you know about, but you might not have tried everything you can. Get as lean and mean about energy usage as possible. Replace the old, wheezing office fridge with a newer one that uses less power; if you're replacing other appliances anyway in that kitchen, downsize the microwave by a couple hundred watts or so. Switch lighting to LEDs if you haven't already, and discourage the use of things like electric cup warmers at desks. Encourage employees to open blinds on windows if it's safe to do so (people at the street level may need the blinds closed to avoid distraction and stop people from looking in).

Don't make your employees freeze or sweat in the name of energy conservation. Keep air conditioning and heating at reasonable temperatures and encourage the use of fans in summer and dressing warmly in winter. Installing a ceiling fan in your office, for example, lets you keep the air conditioning temperature at a higher setting, saving more energy. Keeping extra shawls and jackets in the office for cold employees can help you keep the heating temperature down, too.

Look Into Special Rate Plans

Utility companies often have special rate plans for businesses that lower rates at certain times of the day. If you can adjust your office hours to avoid the higher-rate times, you could see significant savings. The plans aren't available at every utility company, and they can vary in their smaller details. But call and ask—you have nothing to lose by asking.

Got a Remodel Coming Up? Now's Your Chance

If the space you're in isn't configured in the most efficient way, such as having vents in odd places and large windows on the south and west that let in hot sunlight in summer, here's your chance to redesign the interior to create better airflow for the HVAC vents, better shade for the south and west windows (you might not be able to remove the windows, depending on the remodel and building codes, but you can install good blackout curtains that block that light and heat), add a new, more efficient HVAC system, and do whatever else you can to make the interior less dependent on the thermostat. 

For more information about business energy rates, contact a local company. 

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